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Photo: Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source ↗
White-fronted Bee-eater
Rooikeelbyvreter · Merops bullockoides
A colourful bee-eater with a white forehead, a bright red throat, and a black mask through the eye, with green back and buff underparts. It hunts from a perch, darting out to snatch bees and other flying insects, then beats them against the branch to remove the sting. It nests in colonies, digging tunnels into riverbanks and sandy earth.
Log your White-fronted Bee-eater sighting — free →How to identify it
A white forehead and bright scarlet throat patch separate it from other bee-eaters.
Where to see it in Kruger
Common along rivers and earthen banks throughout the park, often in busy nesting colonies near water.
Did you know
Before eating a bee, this bird whacks it against a branch and wipes off the venom so it won't get stung in the throat.
Often confused with
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